Re: Silk Fibers

[craftgirl08]

What is the easiest way to melt down the silk fibers for soapmaking? It seemed like it took forever in the lye water to melt them down. Any suggestions?

 

[digit]

I just clip it into teensy pieces, stir into my water, let sit a few, then add the lye. By the time it has cooled, any silk goo stirs right in.

Digit

 

[IrishLass]

Another method is the 'stretch and soak' method. What I do is gently separate the silk fibers by stretching out my little ball of silk with my fingers until it resembles fine cobwebs. Then I soak it in my water amount for about 5 minutes or so before I add my lye. Once the lye is added, it takes from about 3 minutes to 5 minutes of constant stirring to dissolve the silk. There might be a few tiny strands of silk still floating about at this time, or what Digit calls 'silk goo' (I like that term ), but it's so negligable and minute that it easily dissolves itself on its own by the time the lye is cooled.


IrishLass

 

[craftgirl08]

Re: Silk Fibers

Thanks Digit and IrishLass.

craftgirl

 

[carebear]

I just pull a chunk out of my big bag o silk and drop it into my lye solution container. I add the water in on top of it, Or sometimes I forget and add the silk to the water. Doesnt' matter - either way it floats so when I add the lye I pour it directly onto the silk to kinda sink it and make sure it's fully saturated. Still it floats so when I'm done stirring I sink it with my spoon and leave the spoon in the container as it cools.

The last sentence of the previous paragraph is the only one you needed to read, but thought I'd try to give you a complete picture LOL.

 

[Soapmaker Man]

I take my aloe vera juice and place it in my plastic pitcher I use. Next, I pull off threads off my big bag of Tussa Silk. I take my stainless steel whisk, and whisk the silk into the aloe vera saturating it. I then add my lye beads, stirring with my stainless steel whisk until it has cooled slightly and no threads remain...then let cool.

Paul